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***Official Soccer Discussion Thread*** (2 Viewers)

Sinn Fein said:
Its likely Arsene's last year, and its probably not much cash, if they agree to send Ozil on loan to RM, with an option to buy this summer.

:shrug:

 As for James not being a winger - do Hazard or Pedro really play on the wing?  They way they line up, Moses and Alonso do most of the wide work.
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Hazard and Pedro are inside forwards.  James is a pure playmaking 10.  He could play on the left or the right, but he'd play like David Silva there.  Which isn't what Chelsea does.  James isn't going to make runs in behind Costa. 

 
Personally, I'd prefer James to stay at Madrid.  Spurs had an outside chance at Isco - but it appears that Isco has beaten out James for playing time, so it seems really unlikely that Isco would leave now.

 
The Chelsea blogosphere is talking about the continued evolution of Conte's system, which looks more and more like a 3-5-2 than a 3-4-3 these days. In the last three games,  Pedro/Willian have both dropped deeper and more central and helped with buildup. Conte played 3-5-2 at Juve as well so this wouldnt be a huge departuure for him, though its stll not clear if Humus can fill this role. Good article below on the tactics.

http://theprideoflondon.com/2016/12/19/antonio-conte-chelsea-formation-2/

 
Jaysus said:
If James winds up in Chelsea, and the current formation holds, he has to replace Pedro, right?
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Most likely.  Which moves Willian lower down the pecking order too.  But I think the Pedro/Willian already give Chelsea great versatility in that spot.  Pedro is the more natural forward in that spot.  Willian gives more work rate and defense from the front.  You put James there, and I think you almost have to give him a free role and move Hazard into kind of a second striker spot.  It could work by tweaking Kante and Matic's responsibilities (I think they would need to operate deeper and the transition to attack would have to run to James), but it would look different. 

I think Chelsea would do better to get one more all action defensive oriented midfielder (because an injury to Matic or Kante would be hard to replace) and maybe another CB like Sule or the ever-popular Virgil.  Maybe also a backup for Moses, but I always thought Willian would be a great WB.  I suppose if Conte thought the same, he'd have tried Willian there before Moses. 

 
Native said:
The Chelsea blogosphere is talking about the continued evolution of Conte's system, which looks more and more like a 3-5-2 than a 3-4-3 these days. In the last three games,  Pedro/Willian have both dropped deeper and more central and helped with buildup. Conte played 3-5-2 at Juve as well so this wouldnt be a huge departuure for him, though its stll not clear if Humus can fill this role. Good article below on the tactics.

http://theprideoflondon.com/2016/12/19/antonio-conte-chelsea-formation-2/
Click to expand...
Good stuff.  It's striking to me how much Chelsea relies on Dave to Kante to play out of the back (look at those big grey arrows).  Kante is immensely important in Chelsea's system because in addition to snuffing out chances all over, he's the guy who transitions from defense to attack.  What a bargain.  Also amazing to see how much Luiz stays back in this system.  Does Conte have incriminating pictures? 

 
Ramsay Hunt Experience said:
Good stuff.  It's striking to me how much Chelsea relies on Dave to Kante to play out of the back (look at those big grey arrows).  Kante is immensely important in Chelsea's system because in addition to snuffing out chances all over, he's the guy who transitions from defense to attack.  What a bargain.  Also amazing to see how much Luiz stays back in this system.  Does Conte have incriminating pictures? 
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Love the use of data in soccer. So powerful. 

 
Regarding James, as far as I can tell it all comes from a speculative story in the Mirror. It doesn't make sense to me, but I've been almost 100% wrong over the years on new signings for Chelsea. I thought Shevchenko was going to dominate England. I had no interest in Petr Cech, with Carlo Cudicini between the posts for Chelsea.  It seems to me the club is weak behind Costa, Kante/Matic, both wingbacks and across the back line.  A significant injury at any of those spots would be hard to fill and could cost the club top 4. If true, I agree this would be bad news for Pedro and Willian fantasy owners.

 
I'm going to be in London next month and I'm trying to figure out how to buy tickets to a Crystal Palace v. Everton match.

It seems you need to be a member of the club to buy tickets?  StubHub doesn't seem to have any.  What's the best way to buy tickets from the US?  Is there a way?

 
Ramsay Hunt Experience said:
Good stuff.  It's striking to me how much Chelsea relies on Dave to Kante to play out of the back (look at those big grey arrows).  Kante is immensely important in Chelsea's system because in addition to snuffing out chances all over, he's the guy who transitions from defense to attack.  What a bargain.  Also amazing to see how much Luiz stays back in this system.  Does Conte have incriminating pictures? 
Click to expand...
Kante's importance to the formation cannot be understated.  In Conte's "system" the two D-mids are arguably the two most important players on the pitch and the past year and a half, Kante's been arguably the best D-Mid in the world (I don't think it's a coincidence that the team he's been on the past two years is top in the EPL).  

 
17seconds said:
I'm going to be in London next month and I'm trying to figure out how to buy tickets to a Crystal Palace v. Everton match.

It seems you need to be a member of the club to buy tickets?  StubHub doesn't seem to have any.  What's the best way to buy tickets from the US?  Is there a way?
Click to expand...
For some reason, English fans typically claim you have to join the club to get tickets, and completely downplay the secondary market. I really don't understand why, because it seems there is an active scalper market for these games, as one would expect. I had no problem getting tickets on the secondary market, but that was almost 15 years ago and there was less demand at Chelsea. I was disappointed that day because Sunderland were in town but Claudio Reyna was injured and didn't make the trip.

 
17seconds said:
I'm going to be in London next month and I'm trying to figure out how to buy tickets to a Crystal Palace v. Everton match.

It seems you need to be a member of the club to buy tickets?  StubHub doesn't seem to have any.  What's the best way to buy tickets from the US?  Is there a way?
Click to expand...
A lot of clubs have a stub-hub relationship - supporters are not fans of Stub-Hub, but they do sell their tickets there.

ETA - I don't see any tickets for CP v. Everton - the few CP tickets I see are away games, so they may not have a deal with Stub Hub.

You can see Charlton Athletic v. Scunthorpe on the 21st in London...

 
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Sammy3469 said:
Kante's importance to the formation cannot be understated.  In Conte's "system" the two D-mids are arguably the two most important players on the pitch and the past year and a half, Kante's been arguably the best D-Mid in the world (I don't think it's a coincidence that the team he's been on the past two years is top in the EPL).  
Click to expand...
Yeah, I'm going a bit further in that I think he does more for Chelsea than he did last year for LC.  Much of the LC's distribution last year went through Drinkwater.  Which made sense because LC were a great direct side, and Drinkwater is very good at long balls to the channels.  This year's Chelsea has a 10% higher possession rate and a 14% higher pass completion percentage than last year's LC team.  Much more is expected of Kante on the ball this year.  He's making 64 passes a game instead of 39.  He's completing 89% of his passes against 81% last year.  He plays almost three more long passes a game.   

 
Ramsay Hunt Experience said:
Jaysus said:
If James winds up in Chelsea, and the current formation holds, he has to replace Pedro, right?
Click to expand...
Most likely.  Which moves Willian lower down the pecking order too.  But I think the Pedro/Willian already give Chelsea great versatility in that spot.  Pedro is the more natural forward in that spot.  Willian gives more work rate and defense from the front.  You put James there, and I think you almost have to give him a free role and move Hazard into kind of a second striker spot.  It could work by tweaking Kante and Matic's responsibilities (I think they would need to operate deeper and the transition to attack would have to run to James), but it would look different. 

I think Chelsea would do better to get one more all action defensive oriented midfielder (because an injury to Matic or Kante would be hard to replace) and maybe another CB like Sule or the ever-popular Virgil.  Maybe also a backup for Moses, but I always thought Willian would be a great WB.  I suppose if Conte thought the same, he'd have tried Willian there before Moses. 
Click to expand...
I'm not tied into Chelsea's formation, but I always thought of Pedro as an out and out winger. Willian and James seem more 2-way ACM apples-to-apples, IMO.

 
Ramsay Hunt Experience said:
Sammy3469 said:
Kante's importance to the formation cannot be understated.  In Conte's "system" the two D-mids are arguably the two most important players on the pitch and the past year and a half, Kante's been arguably the best D-Mid in the world (I don't think it's a coincidence that the team he's been on the past two years is top in the EPL).  
Click to expand...
Yeah, I'm going a bit further in that I think he does more for Chelsea than he did last year for LC.  Much of the LC's distribution last year went through Drinkwater.  Which made sense because LC were a great direct side, and Drinkwater is very good at long balls to the channels.  This year's Chelsea has a 10% higher possession rate and a 14% higher pass completion percentage than last year's LC team.  Much more is expected of Kante on the ball this year.  He's making 64 passes a game instead of 39.  He's completing 89% of his passes against 81% last year.  He plays almost three more long passes a game.   
Click to expand...
you're a stats guy... IMO, kante's best contributions aren't really stats viable. the guy completely clogs and shuts down passing lanes and then offers impeccable shape/spacing when his team has the ball going forward. 

LC desperately misses that this year; their defenders are having to defend all kinds of angles and passes this year when last year most of what came at them came from the flanks as balls in the air that huth, morgan and hte outside backs ate up.

 
Here is the rumored CCL changes.  This format change would create significantly harder (and more interesting) group stage games.  It would also schedule the knockout games when MLS is in season instead of pre season like now.

I need to see more information but if this rumor turns out true, I think I like it.  It does seem like a lot of games to schedule in a short time period though.

I also have no idea who would represent MLS if the next game that involves MLS is not until the spring of 2018.  They may have to go a year with no CCL qualifiers to make this all lineup again.

=============================

Manuel Quintanilla, president of the Nicaraguan Football Federation, spoke of a possible new format for the competition. The competition would be expanded from 24 to 31 teams, and would be divided into two phases: Autumn and Spring. Sixteen teams will take part in each tournament:[7]

  • In the Autumn tournament (from August to October), there would be thirteen Central American clubs and three Caribbean clubs. The champion would qualify for the Spring tournament.
  • In the Spring tournament, there would be four Mexican clubs, four American clubs, one Canadian club, five Central American clubs, one Caribbean club and the winner of the Autumn tournament.
4 groups of 4, top 2 in each group advance to quarter finals.

 
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Ramsay Hunt Experience said:
I don't see James being any cheaper than Ozil.  If Arsenal can't afford Ozil and Sanchez, they can't afford James.  Besides, Ozil was a lot more successful at Real Madrid than James has been, so I don't see that as an upgrade.  James makes sense for United, I suppose.  He's definitely an upgrade at the 10 in a squad that plays a 10.  I still don't think that's Man U's biggest hole, but I can see that move.  I could see City too, I suppose, but I don't think that's City's weakness either. 
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Interesting thought.  In your opinion is he an upgrade over Mata or Herrera? Some are calling for Mkhi to play 10, would James improve on him? I haven't watched enough of James to know if he is an upgrade or not.

Although recently with the re-intro of Carrick they look more like a 4-1-4-1 (despite the media claiming 4-3-3).  I like James just not sure where he would fit.

Asking your opinions....

 
B Maverick said:
Interesting thought.  In your opinion is he an upgrade over Mata or Herrera? Some are calling for Mkhi to play 10, would James improve on him? I haven't watched enough of James to know if he is an upgrade or not.

Although recently with the re-intro of Carrick they look more like a 4-1-4-1 (despite the media claiming 4-3-3).  I like James just not sure where he would fit.

Asking your opinions....
Click to expand...
I think the biggest problem for James playing at either United or Chelsea is that he does not work hard, does not defend and is a classic Real Madrid prima donna player. That's not going to sit well with either Mourinho or Conte. Maybe Kloppo will take him, or Wenger.

 
B Maverick said:
Interesting thought.  In your opinion is he an upgrade over Mata or Herrera? Some are calling for Mkhi to play 10, would James improve on him? I haven't watched enough of James to know if he is an upgrade or not.

Although recently with the re-intro of Carrick they look more like a 4-1-4-1 (despite the media claiming 4-3-3).  I like James just not sure where he would fit.

Asking your opinions....
Click to expand...
I think James is probably the best regarded pure #10 out of those players.  Kind of a better regarded Mata, who has struggled to break into Real for essentially the same reason that Mata has struggled to break in under Mourinho.  Herrera is kind of an 8 used in lieu of a 10, IMO. 

 
CletiusMaximus said:
I think the biggest problem for James playing at either United or Chelsea is that he does not work hard, does not defend and is a classic Real Madrid prima donna player. That's not going to sit well with either Mourinho or Conte. Maybe Kloppo will take him, or Wenger.
Click to expand...
Mourinho did play Ozil at Real though.  Snejder wasn't the most defensive minded 10 with Inter either. 

 
El Floppo said:
you're a stats guy... IMO, kante's best contributions aren't really stats viable. the guy completely clogs and shuts down passing lanes and then offers impeccable shape/spacing when his team has the ball going forward. 

LC desperately misses that this year; their defenders are having to defend all kinds of angles and passes this year when last year most of what came at them came from the flanks as balls in the air that huth, morgan and hte outside backs ate up.
Click to expand...
Nobody denies what Kante does defensively. 

 
Legia WarsawVerified account‏@LegiaWarsawEN

Done deal: Nemanja Nikolić leaves Legia to join @ChicagoFire. Thank you and good luck, King Niko!

 
My kids were playing FIFA 16 on the xbox last night.  The 8yr old is all pissed off because he's losing 1-0.  He pitches a fit every day because he gets his ### kicked by his bigger brother.  I usually don't pay attention to it, but I happened to catch him come up with this gem.  "You're cheating!!!! See!!!!! You made it so my guys don't receive the ball with their back foot..." :rant:  

:lol:  

 
CletiusMaximus said:
I think the biggest problem for James playing at either United or Chelsea is that he does not work hard, does not defend and is a classic Real Madrid prima donna player. That's not going to sit well with either Mourinho or Conte. Maybe Kloppo will take him, or Wenger.
Click to expand...


Ramsay Hunt Experience said:
I think James is probably the best regarded pure #10 out of those players.  Kind of a better regarded Mata, who has struggled to break into Real for essentially the same reason that Mata has struggled to break in under Mourinho.  Herrera is kind of an 8 used in lieu of a 10, IMO. 
Click to expand...
Thanks guys.  Makes sense.  Not sure they need a pure 10 now with how they are playing and it feels like their best is coming in 4-1-4-1

 
Billionaires supporting your MLS bid is always nice.  

Nashville’s bid for a Major League Soccer expansion franchise has attracted the backing of a giant in Nashville’s business world with one of the city’s most prominent last names.

John R. Ingram, chairman of Ingram Industries Inc., has emerged as the lead investor of Nashville’s proposal for an MLS expansion team.
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http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/2016/12/20/businessman-john-ingram-lead-nashvilles-major-league-soccer-bid/95654904/

 
Top of the table in the Bundesliga is on the line today... time to see just how strong this fairytale RB Leipzig team may be (even though they are playing without their best MF today)

#DieRotenBullen!!!

 
oh- hey- whoever is doing the "what team I support" thing... as the teams have progressed, I'm realizing I'm a NYRB fan more than a NYCFC fan. I like the latter fine, but #### them.

 
hey look,  :fro:    news....

Marouane Fellaini is ready to stay at Manchester United, with sources telling ESPN FC that manager Jose Mourinho is reluctant to lose the Belgium midfielder during the January transfer window.

Fellaini, 29, has lost his starting place in recent weeks, having been a regular during the early stages of this season.

But despite dropping the former Everton player and reinstating Michael Carrick, Mourinho has retained him in his matchday squads and used him 17 times in 27 games so far.

While Inter Milan are prepared to offer Fellaini a move next month, Mourinho wants to retain him for the rest of the season due to his ability to play in various midfield roles.
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wait... wtf? :wall:  

 
Leave it to MLS to mess up the date of the FIRE'S home opener on this graphic:

https://twitter.com/FourFourTwoUSA/status/811604128711507968

In any case, here's the scheduling parameters for the upcoming year:

Each club will play 34 games, 17 home and 17 away. Teams will face each of their 10 conference opponents twice during the season, playing one game at home and one game away. Clubs will also play three of their conference opponents for an additional game and then face each of the 11 non-conference opponents once to round out the 34-game slate.
Click to expand...
They're going to be some unbalanced schedules this year.

 
Anyone have season tickets in here?  We are strongly considering Philly Union season tickets, but I'm not certain how much of a PIA it will be to move the tickets for the games we can't go to.

 
Ned said:
Anyone have season tickets in here?  We are strongly considering Philly Union season tickets, but I'm not certain how much of a PIA it will be to move the tickets for the games we can't go to.
Click to expand...
that depends on how well the team is doing ;)

 
Ned said:
Anyone have season tickets in here?  We are strongly considering Philly Union season tickets, but I'm not certain how much of a PIA it will be to move the tickets for the games we can't go to.
Click to expand...
I have season tickets to the Revs.  We don't have individual tickets, we get a card that is scanned  at each home game.  You use the same card all year long.

You don't have individual tickets you can sell.  I don't know how it works in Philly but I would assume most use cards and not old fashioned tickets.

 
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NewlyRetired said:
I have season tickets to the Revs.  We don't have individual tickets, we get a card that is scanned  at each home game.  You use the same card all year long.

You don't have individual tickets you can sell.  I don't know how it works in Philly but I would assume most use cards and not old fashioned tickets.
Click to expand...
So you are stuck with the 18 games no matter what?  How many are you going to each year?

 
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